Culture

Field House

Sakonnet, R.I.

The owners wanted their new home to blend into the rural character of local Rhode Island farms, but they also wanted it to be contemporary, even industrial. A product of those two opposing desires, Field House seems just right, framed in the landscape by a new, stacked-stone wall. Its simple gables and cedar shingles are pure farm house; then you notice one side of the first floor is glass. Inside, the industrial vibe breaks out. Its steel structure is exposed, as are the second-floor joists. A steel staircase stretching toward a wood ceiling is reminiscent of steps to a barn loft. All the steel and glass is balanced and warmed by wood, heart-pine floors recycled from a local mill.